SUPPORTING STATEMENT - PART A
DoD-wide Data Collection and Analysis for Department of Defense Data Collection in Support of the Independent Review Commission (IRC) on Sexual Assault Recommendations (OMB Control Number 0704-0644)
Title of Collection: Climate Transformation Task Force (CTTF) Evaluation at the Military Service Academies (MSAs)
Expected Fielding Dates: 02 September 2025 – 31 October 2026
1. Need for the Information Collection
In 2023, United States Military Academy (USMA), United States Naval Academy (USNA), and United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) were directed to develop Plans of Action and Milestones (POAMs) related to the prevention of sexual assault and other harmful behaviors. The memo called for the rigorous measurement and evaluation of MSA prevention efforts through annual self-assessments and the Command Climate Assessment. Each POAM outlines action steps to respond to the immediate, intermediate, and long-term recommendations identified in the 2023 MSA On-site Installation Evaluation (OSIE) report. As a result of the OSIE, a central MSA Command Climate Transformation Task Force (CTTF) was established, and each MSA established an MSA-specific CTTF. DoD’s OFR OCCWI is evaluating the CTTF activities across the three MSAs. Furthermore, the commitment to the CTTF, the evaluation, and to continue the mission to identify the prevention actions with the greatest impact undertaken by the CTTF was reestablished in 2025 through the memo ‘Actions to Address and Prevent Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in the Military.”
The DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) contracted NORC at the University of Chicago to assist the Office of Command Climate and Well-Being Integration (OCCWI) with evaluating the MSAs’ CTTF efforts. In collaboration with OCCWI, the CTTF Steering Committee, and the CTTF Working Group, NORC prepared evaluation questions based on the MSA POAMs to guide the evaluation design.
2. Use of the Information
The purpose of the CTTF evaluation is to assess the effort of the MSAs to determine whether the implementation of the POAMs is achieving the stated goal of “improving the climate risk factors and increasing protective factors for all cadets and midshipmen.”
Two data collections are included in this CTTF evaluation protocol: The first data collection (“Survey”) supports evaluation of the impact of TAC officer/AOC/Company Officer/NCO MSA-specific trainings (revised under OSD direction 2023-2024). The second data collection (“Focus Groups”) will convene faculty, staff, alumni, and parents (of current students) associated with each MSA to discuss progress, barriers, and facilitators associated with the implementation of the POAMs and the prevention of harmful behaviors within the cadet/midshipman brigades.
The evaluation will yield essential and timely information regarding the CTTF's impact on the MSA populations. The findings will assist DoD OCCWI in identifying the CTTF's direct and indirect benefits, as well as barriers and facilitators to implementing the MSA POAMs. Overall, the evaluation will inform future guidance to the MSAs based on the effectiveness the CTTF efforts.
Survey respondents will be Company and Squadron commanders. These individuals provide administrative and disciplinary authority, serve as role models, mentors, counselors, and trainers to cadets/midshipmen progress, and monitor their progress.
Participants will be recruited via emails sent by MSA staff. NORC expects to survey up to 504 Company/Squadron Commanders across all three MSAs at two timepoints (two cross-sectional administrations of the same survey).
Additionally, NORC will conduct focus groups with faculty, staff, alumni, and parents. At each MSA, NORC will conduct up to 12 focus groups (10-12 participants per group), coordinating scheduling according to participants’ role/affiliation with the MSA. Table 1 summarizes the data collections and recruitment samples.
Table 1. Data Collection Components with Recruitment Targets
Groups |
Data Collection |
Current Company and Squadron Commander |
Cross-sectional Surveys
|
Faculty, Staff, Alumni, Parents |
36 Focus groups (10-12 respondents per group)
|
The Company/Squadron Commander survey is anonymous, and the focus groups are confidential. Prior to delivery of the data to DoD, NORC will conduct a disclosure risk assessment review to identify steps needed to limit re-identification and attribution risk. Additionally, any results generated from the survey data presented in reports will meet minimum-cell suppression requirements to protect against participant identification. For focus groups, no audio or video recordings will take place. Participants will be asked to keep names of participants confidential, i.e., not disclose names to those who did not participate in their focus group. Notes and analytic files will be saved in the project folder on NORC’s secure servers, which is only accessible to those who have signed a non-disclosure agreement for this project. Any files shared with the DoD will be de-identified and shared via a secure platform (e.g., DoD SAFE).
The evaluation analysis of survey data will include the use of R software for cleaning and analysis. The data will be cleaned to remove errors and inconsistencies across the surveys. Errors will be detected by checking skip patterns using descriptive statistics, scatterplots, and histograms. Additionally, to address item-level missing data (e.g., if respondents skip some questions), NORC will assess the amount of missing data and whether missingness is correlated with observed indicators. If there is limited missingness (e.g., under 5-10%), NORC will use listwise deletion. NORC will first examine the data distribution and run frequencies, measures of central tendency, and measures of dispersion with all study variables. Single-point estimates (with confidence intervals) will be provided. NORC will perform bivariate analyses on relevant background variables to determine whether key factors (e.g., demographics) are statistically significant correlates of the selected outcome measures.
For the qualitative data collected from the focus groups, NORC will use qualitative coding software, such as NVivo or MAXQDA. Detailed notes from the focus groups will be imported into the coding software and use an inductive, codebook thematic analysis strategy for identifying recurring patterns between the groups. NORC will use the standard six-stage process of thematic analysis: familiarization with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and writing the report.
3. Use of Information Technology
All responses (100%) to the Company/Squadron Commanders Survey will be collected electronically via online platforms. Qualitative focus interviews will be conducted in-person on the MSA campuses or virtually via Teams. Focus group scheduling will be conducted via email.
4. Non-duplication
The information obtained through this collection is unique and is not already available for use or adaptation from another cleared source.
5. Burden on Small Businesses
This information collection does not impose a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses or entities.
6. Consequences of Less Frequent Collection
This is the most infrequent collection interval possible without compromising the integrity of collection results and purpose. Without data from all these assessments opportunities, DoD will be unable to determine the effectiveness of the MSAs implementation of the POAMS and make recommendations for their climate transformation efforts.
7. Paperwork Reduction Act Guidelines
This collection of information does not require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines delineated in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).
8. Consultation and Public Comments
Part A: PUBLIC NOTICE
A 30-Day Federal Register Notice for the collection published on Tuesday, July 29,2025. The 30-Day FRN citation is 90 FRN 35671.
Part B: CONSULTATION
DoD SAPRO contracted NORC at the University of Chicago to provide program evaluation efforts. The NORC team consulted with DOD OCCWI, the United States Military Academy (USMA), the United States Naval Academy (USNA), and the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) throughout the development of the evaluation protocols. Additionally, NORC received feedback from three current MSA Command Team members to ensure the Company/Squadron Commanders Survey language is understandable and acceptable to the target populations at the military academies. The focus group interview guide was reviewed by Evaluation Working Group (EWG) members for clarity.
9. Gifts or Payment
No payments or gifts are being offered to respondents as an incentive to participate in the collection.
10. Confidentiality
A Privacy Act Statement is not required for this collection because we are not requesting individuals to furnish personal information for a system of records.
A System of Record Notice (SORN) is not required for this collection because records are not retrievable by PII.
A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) is not required for this collection.
NORC confirms that we are fully compliant with the DoD Information Security, Cybersecurity, and Privacy directives and instructions as outlined in the relevant DoD regulations in the contract concerning for our operations supporting the execution of work for this evaluation project. At the time of the evaluation’s close, only de-identified information and data will be delivered to the Government/DoD.
Records Retention and Disposition Schedule. For the purposes of this project, data will be destroyed before the conclusion of the contract.
11. Sensitive Questions
No questions considered sensitive are being asked in this collection.
12. Respondent Burden and its Labor Costs
Part A: Estimate of Respondent Burden
Collection Instrument(s)
[Company and Squadron Commander Survey- Wave 1]
Number of Respondents: 252
Number of responses per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 252
Response Time: 0.33 hours
Respondent burden hours: 83.2 hours
[Company and Squadron Commander Survey- Wave 2]
Number of Respondents: 252
Number of responses per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 252
Response Time: 0.33 hours
Respondent burden hours: 83.2 hours
[Focus Groups]
Number of respondents: 432
Number of responses per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 432
Response Time: 1.5 hours
Respondent burden hours: 648 hours
Total Submission Burden
Number of Respondents: 504 survey and 432 focus groups = 936 respondents
Number of responses per Respondent: 1
Response Time: 0.33 hours per survey + 1.5 hours per focus group
Total burden hours: (166.3 surveys + 648 focus group) = 814 hours
Part B: Labor Cost of Respondent Burden
Collection Instrument(s)
[Company and Squadron Commander Survey-1]
E-5 through E-9 Personnel = 146
O-3 through O-5 Personnel = 106
Response Time: 0.33 hours
Respondent Hourly Wage:
E-5 through E-9 Average = $23.01
O-3 through O-5 Average = $35.43
Labor Burden per Response:
E-5 through E-9 Average = $7.59
O-3 through O-5 Average = $11.69
Total Labor Burden:
E-5 through E-9 Average = $1,108.14
O-3 through O-5 Average = $1,239.14
[Company and Squadron Commander Survey-2]
Number of Total Annual Responses: 252
E-5 through E-9 Personnel = 146
O-3 through O-5 Personnel = 106
Response Time: 0.33 hours
Respondent Hourly Wage:
E-5 through E-9 Average = 23.01
O-3 through O-5 Average = 35.43
Labor Burden per Response:
E-5 through E-9 Average = 7.59
O-3 through O-5 Average = 11.69
Total Labor Burden:
E-5 through E-9 Average = 1,108.14
O-3 through O-5 Average = 1,239.14
[Focus Groups]
Number of Total Annual Respondents: 432
Response Time: 1.5 hour
Respondent Hourly Wage:
GS Grade 10-15 Average= $46.13
Labor Burden per Response:
GS Grade 10-15 Average= $69.20
Total Labor Burden:
GS Grade 10-15 Average: $29,894.40
Overall, Labor Burden
Total Number of Annual Responses: (504 survey + 432 focus group) = 936
Total Labor Burden: ($4,694.56 survey + $29,894.40) = $34,589
13. Respondent Costs Other Than Burden Hour Costs
There are no annualized costs to respondents other than the labor burden costs addressed in Section 12 of this document to complete this collection.
14. Cost to the Federal Government
Part A: LABOR COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Collection Instrument(s)
1a. [Company and Squadron Commander Survey-1]
Number of Total Annual Responses: 252
Processing Time per Response: 0.5 hours (30 minutes)
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $244.52
Cost to Process Each Response: $ 122.26
Total Cost to Process Responses: $30,809.52
1b. [Company and Squadron Commander Survey-2]
Number of Total Annual Responses: 252
Processing Time per Response: 0.5 hours (30 minutes)
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $244.52
Cost to Process Each Response: $122.26
Total Cost to Process Responses: $30,809.52
1c. [Focus Groups]
Number of Total Annual Responses: 432
Processing Time per Response: 1.5 hours (90 minutes)
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $244.52
Cost to Process Each Response: $366.78
Total Cost to Process Responses: $158,448.96
Overall, Labor Burden to the Federal Government
Total Number of Annual Responses: 936
Total Labor Burden: $220,068
Part B: OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
All operational costs described below are included in an existing contract with NORC.
Cost Categories
Equipment: $0
Printing: $0
Postage: $0
Software Purchases: $22,500
Licensing Costs: $0
Other: $4,213.80
Total Operational and Maintenance Cost: $26,713.80
Part C: TOTAL COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Total Labor Cost to the Federal Government: $220,068
Total Operational and Maintenance Costs: $ 26,713.80
Total Cost to the Federal Government: $ 246,782
15. Reasons for Change in Burden
There is a new data collection with a new associated burden.
16. Publication of Results
The results of this information collection will not be published.
17. Non-Display of OMB Expiration Date
We are not seeking approval to omit the display of the expiration date of the OMB approval on the collection instrument.
18. Exceptions to “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Submissions”
We are not requesting any exemptions to the provisions stated in 5 CFR 1320.9.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Kaitlin Chiarelli |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2026-01-07 |